United Skim Tour: Oktoberfest

Prost! It's that time of year again. Not only does it mean beer, but also the famous skimboarding contest held at the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach, CA. Upon arriving, the weather was mild and the waves were pretty decent. The beach was already lined and hella people on the pier watching, I couldn't wait to get my Sony a7iii out and start shooting. I chose to go for my Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 lens so I could stay a little further back from the action, but still be able to get in tight for those intimate action shots. Here are some of my favorite captures from the day:

Brandon Sears

Gerardo Valencia

David Haefele

Derek Shenton

Chad Wadsworth

Timmy Gamboa

Lucas Fink

Amber Torrealba

Paddy Mack

Ryan Ward

Sam Stinnett

Yahir Valencia

It's a bummer we have to wait another year for the contests to start back up, but there will be plenty of off-season opportunities for these riders to grow and continue to push the limits of skimboarding. Check out my Instagram account @justbraden to see more flicks from the contest. Be sure to shoot me a follow for more dope surf and skim content!

Written by Braden Walker. Photos by Braden Walker.